The Worth of a Man
by Guilia
Summary: Young Commander Luke Skywalker struggles to balance discipline, authority, and friendship on Echo Base while Princess Leia struggles to understand her relationship with the Alliance's star pilot. Pre-ESB.
1. Chapter 1

_The characters in this story belong to George Lucas._

Luke awoke with a start. He could hear his roommate, Wedge Antilles, still snoring beneath his bunk. Luke had slept through few nights since their arrival on Hoth. The cold was so penetrating it kept him from sleeping deeply and he awoke at the slightest noises. The blankets he was under managed to keep his body heat walled in around him, but he knew if the lights had been on, he would have been able to see his breath. The temperature of the Hoth base was supposed to be controlled at just below freezing, but sometimes the extreme coldness during the night overwhelmed the control systems.

He lay still for a moment, trying to regain the sleepiness he had felt earlier. He had spent the day before working with every other grounded pilot to dig trenches outside of Echo Base for use as defense in a ground assault. The work was as tiring as moving sand, and Luke had done enough of that in his life to know that it wasn't a job to be done only once. A windstorm would likely fill in all they had done today, and they'd just have to go back out and redo their work.

He sighed and resigned himself to his fate: another sleepless night. Luke mentally and physically braced himself for what he was about to do, then slung his blankets to the side and leaped off the bunk onto the icy floor. It had only taken one morning for him to figure out that it was necessary to sleep in boots in Echo Base. He hustled to pull on his fur-lined coat, gloves, and hat, then tiptoed out the door into the deserted hallway.

He wandered out to the docking bays to when his X-Wing was landed. The fighters had been packed into the bay as close as could be managed, since docking space was limited on Hoth and any equipment left outside was subject to temperatures so cold that Luke shuddered to imagine what they would feel like.

It seemed like everyone else had gotten used to the cold. Some people even walked around without gloves or hats. Luke couldn't imagine getting used to it. He'd not been warm one single moment since he arrived on Hoth. At least some part of him was cold at all times. It was usually either his hands, his nose, or his feet.

His X-Wing looked as cold as Luke felt. The engines were fired up every few days to make sure they were still running smoothly since Rieekan had placed restrictions on air traffic other than supply and transport ships, but the rest of time it sat untouched in the coldness.

He climbed the ladder to the cockpit and lowered himself into the seat. He could feel the coldness in the seat, but he knew after it was sealed his body heat should warm up the enclosed space more than the room he shared with Wedge. As the cockpit hissed closed and sealed tight, Luke wrapped his arms around his torso and shifted to rest his head against the seat back. He closed his eyes and prayed for just enough warmth to allow him to fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Leia Organa stood staring at the closed door outside Luke's room, wondering if it was appropriate for her to just walk in. She was certain he shared quarters with someone, but since she didn't know who it was, she didn't want to be seen just walking unannounced into Luke's sleeping quarters. Gossip was already rampant due to the amount of time they spent together and the affection they seemed to share. She reached for the buzzer again.

The door flew open and she recognized Wedge Antilles, one of the pilots who survived the battle over Yavin against the Death Star. He was wearing his sleep clothes, which on Hoth meant he was fully dressed but not wearing gloves or a coat. He wiped his eyes.

"Princess?" he asked. "Can I help you?" He glanced worriedly down the hallway next to her. "Has something happened?"

"No, I...I was looking for Luke. Is he here?" she asked.

She could see the question in his eyes and wanted to cringe. The Alliance was a small-knit community and it was well known that Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker had a close relationship, but no one knew how close they actually were. It shouldn't have bothered her so much, and it probably wouldn't if Leia herself understood her relationship with the Rebellion's star pilot.

"When I woke up he was gone," Wedge told her. "He has trouble sleeping here. It's the cold."

"Do you know where he might be?" she asked.

"He told me sometimes he goes and tries to sleep in the cockpit of his X-Wing. He said it's warmer in there." Wedge gave her a crooked grin. "Plus I think I snore."

Leia smiled back at him. "Thanks," she said. "I'll see if I can find him. If he does return, will you tell him I'm looking for him?"

"Of course, Princess," Wedge replied.

Leia followed Wedge's advice and made her way to the docking bay that housed the majority of the fighters on Hoth. It was still early and this part of the base was not the focus of Rieekan's latest projects, so it was still empty save for one lone tech who seemed to be on his way out. Leia looked forlornly at the sea of X-Wings and Y-Wings before her. She knew enough about the codes used to mark the ships that she could pick out a Rogue Squadron fighter, but she had no idea how to read the other markings that would tell her which was the commander's ship. The ships were berthed so close to each other that there was no way she'd be able to find Luke's ship by looking in the cockpits from the ground.

She weaved her way through the landing struts and looked for the decal that marked Rogue Squadron X-Wings. She had stood outside Luke's X-Wing often enough that she was pretty sure his had quite a few other decals on it, one she knew was from the Battle of Yavin. She found one that looked like it might be his and climbed the ladder. She was a little embarrassed when she reached the top and he wasn't in there. She could be climbing ladders all morning if Luke wasn't even in his X-Wing.

She lowered herself back to the ground and went in search of another one. Aside from the decals and a few scratches, most of the X-Wings looked entirely identical to her. She knew Luke would find that amusing since he would be able to pick out his own ship if someone had painted it pink. The thought made her giggle as she climbed a second ladder. It was humorous enough that she fantasized for a moment making an offhand suggestion to Wes Janson along those lines. Janson was well-known for his pranks, and she was fairly certain he would do it if the idea and the opportunity occurred to him. Unfortunately, Wes Janson's antics were part of the reason she needed to speak with Luke.

She smiled when she reached the top of the ladder and saw Luke sleeping like a baby. He truly did look warmer in there. Leia knew that Luke was having trouble dealing with the extreme temperature on Hoth and she was glad to know he had found at least one place where he could sleep comfortably. She hesitated before knocking on the glass, not sure how well the sound would transfer. She rapped her knuckles on the glass, but as soon as she did it, she knew the sound was not even audible within the cockpit.

She didn't want to give him a start by pounding on the glass, but that seemed to be her only option, unless their was a way to open the cockpit from the outside. Leia was actually certain that there must be, since she'd seen pilots open cockpits that were already closed and climb in.

She searched for something that looked like a trigger or an access pad. Leia wasn't unfamiliar with starships, but she'd never even seen a fighter in person until the Battle of Yavin so she had no idea what she was looking for. It was also possible that there was a locking mechanism that would prevent her from being able to open it from the outside if Luke had activated it. She figured that if she were exposed to Wes Janson on a regular basis, she too might take to making sure she was locked away when she fell asleep.

She was fumbling around with what looked like some sort of lever when a sudden snap followed by a sharp hiss of air nearly startled her off the ladder. After she recovered, she looked inside the now open cockpit to see Luke trying to decide whether to laugh or look worried that she had almost fallen.

"I could have broken my neck," she snapped, more out of embarrassment than anger. If it were anyone else, she might have controlled herself, but sometimes Luke seemed to understand her better than she understood herself and she had gotten used to saying the first thing that came to mind when she was with Luke. He didn't take offense at either her tone or her wording.

"That would have been embarrassing to try to explain. I'd be the laughingstock of Echo Base. Luke Skywalker, the man who swept Princess Leia Organa of Aldreaan off her feet and down twelve more," he cracked, leaning over the side of his fighter to look at the ground below them.

Leia rolled her eyes. "I go to all this effort to find you and all I get are wisecracks," she said. Luke just laughed.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I actually came to talk to you. This is off the record of course," Leia said with a stern frown.

"Everything between us is off the record," Luke replied lightly, but she could see the earnestness in his eyes.

"Rieekan mentioned yesterday that he's concerned about the discipline in Rogue Squadron," she told him.

Luke's smile died and his forehead puckered in confusion and concern. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean what you already know. Or must know. Rieekan is worried that you're not doing enough to keep your unit in line," Leia paused, unsure whether she should continue. What she had to tell Luke was basically an insult against his leadership abilities. "He thinks Rogue Squadron is the most unprofessional unit here," she said quickly, forcing it out. In truth, Rieekan's exact words had been even more insulting, but she couldn't tell Luke that.

Luke opened and closed his mouth and looked at the instrument panel in front of him, as if he expected to gain understanding from it. He looked back at her. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I doesn't matter what I think-" she started, but he cut her off.

"I mean off the record, Leia. Do you think I'm doing this wrong? I won't pretend that I don't hardly know what I'm doing as a fighter pilot, much less as a _commander_. I don't know," he looked away for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I just always felt that I'm so young. They'd just laugh at me if I tried to be a commander like Narra."

Leia sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing either, Luke. I'm second in command at this base, but you know just as well as I do that I don't have any more experience leading a military base than you do. And I'm probably even less qualified. But I will tell you this, if you have someone to turn to who does know what they're doing, the most important part is to _look_ like you do as well."

"That's not true, Leia," Luke said. "You're a natural leader. People follow you because they instinctively know that you'll make the hard decisions no one else wants to make. And you know a heck of a lot more about managing a military base than I do."

"You're a natural leader too, Luke," Leia said wryly. "Your entire squadron is older than you, yet they don't complain that you're the commander."

"But Rieekan does?" Luke asked with a slight undercurrent of resentment.

"Rieekan doesn't dislike you, Luke. And he knows your squadron loves you and that you're a great pilot. He's worried that you're too young and inexperienced. And he's worried that your pilots are too undisciplined to be reliable in a crisis." Leia sighed. "He's going to be calling you in for a meeting. I think he's especially concerned about Janson's pranks. That's all I came here to tell you. To warn you that it's coming. It won't do you any good to be broadsided and say something you shouldn't just because you're surprised."

Luke looked to her in confusion. "Has Wes done something I don't know about? I know sometimes he gets a little out of line, but I've never known him to really hurt someone."

"No, you're right," Leia re-assured him. "It's nothing in particular, let me assure you of that." She sighed. "Rieekan's career began during the Clone Wars, Luke. He's used to precision and discipline. The clone armies were nothing if not precise and disciplined."

"And?" Luke asked. His head was turned away from her and her was looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "What do you think?"

Leia shook her head. "You don't need my opinion, Luke. You can't be anything other than you are. I will tell you that I think you're being true to yourself. You couldn't be a tough commander any more than I could be a HoloNet romance star."

Luke laughed at her joke. "I don't know," he drawled. "I think I could see you swooning into some nubile young man's arms when he finally proposes marriage after you thought the whole time he was in love with someone else."

Leia burst out laughing. "Nubile? Luke, I'm pretty sure that's a word that only supposed to apply to young _women_."

Luke blushed and grinned. "Really? Kreth, no wonder Wedge choked on his drink when I told him the other night he was nubile."

Leia doubled over. Her grip on the railing was frighteningly weak, and she could barely hold on since her laughter was making her so weak.

"Why did you.." Leia gasped.

"Why did I tell Wedge I thought he was nubile?" Luke asked, laughing along with her.

"Yes!" she said.

"Well, he was upset since it's been awhile...well, you know," Luke told her. "I wanted to cheer him up. Re-assure him."

Leia began to truly fear she would fall because she was laughing so hard. She started to make her way back down the ladder.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

"I'm going to fall down!" she said, then proved her point when she missed a step and slipped down to the next rung. She knew she'd bruised her arms and her knee, but she was too amused to care.

Leia yelped when she felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist.

"I'm always up for a rescue," the voice behind her drawled.

Leia's head whipped around. "Captain Solo! Please remove your hands!" she demanded, all trace of mirth gone. Leia did not like feeling out of control, and having Han Solo see her like this was not to her liking.

Han just grinned and lifted her off the ladder. He plopped her unceremoniously in front of him and grinned unabashedly.

"Sorry, Princess. I couldn't live with myself if you had gotten hurt," he said, still grinning at her.

His smile always threw her off guard. He was a handsome man, but Leia had known many handsome men in her life, so Han Solo was not unique in that regard. But when he smiled, her stomach twisted into knots and she would find herself more often than not at a loss for words. This was no exception. Leia couldn't think of a single thing to say in reply to him, so she simply walked away. She could hear his laughter following her out of the docking bay, fueling the anger that could easily be seen in the stiffness of her back.


	3. Chapter 3

After Leia had stormed out of the docking bay, Luke sighed and climbed out of his cockpit. Han and Leia were his best friends, and it was tough keeping on neutral ground when all he wanted to do was defend whichever one was currently being insulted. When he reached the floor, he turned and faced Han who had backed away to lean against one of the nearby X-Wings.

"What were you guys laughing so hard about anyways?" Han asked.

Luke could feel his face growing hot. He turned away from Han and mumbled, "Nothing," though he knew the response was only going to make Han more curious.

"Nothing, huh? I don't personally fall over laughing just out of the blue like that, but I guess Leia's always been a little different," he said wryly.

"I'll tell you later," Luke evaded. "I've got to run. It looks like I slept a little late." Luke gave Han a friendly wave and headed towards his quarters. He hoped Han would forget about the incident and he wouldn't have to embarrass himself. Leia would never tell anyone what happened that morning, and would especially not tell Han. She teased Luke all the time when they were alone, but never when someone else was nearby. The only way Han would learn of the reason behind the laughter this morning was if Luke himself told him. Luke knew that many people saw Leia as tough-as-nails, but he was close enough to her that he knew she was actually very sensitive. Luke could also see that Han's jokes sometimes truly bothered her, so he made sure to never tease her in front of Han.

Luke was nearly to the hallway when Han finally caught up to him and threw an arm around Luke's shoulders.

"Hey, I came down here to ask if you wanted to join me and Janson this evening. We were thinking of getting together a game of Sabacc. Chewie said he didn't want to play, so we'd need to find at least one more person. Three people makes an unlucky table," Han said.

"I'm sure Wedge would join in, and I think Zev plays occasionally," Luke suggested.

"This doesn't have to be a Rogue-only party," Han said.

Luke chuckled. "Well, those are pretty much the only guys I know well enough to tell you whether they'd want to play or not. If you're looking for someone outside of Rogue Squadron, you'd do better just asking people you see in the hallway than asking me."

"You need to get out more, Luke," Han scoffed. "Do you mean to tell me that besides me and Chewie and her Highnessness, your only friends are your pilots?"

Luke sighed. "No...well, sort of. I know them well and they're always around, so I don't feel the need to stop someone I hardly know and invite them to have a drink with me."

Han rolled his eyes and said, "How ya going to meet a girl, Luke, if the only people you hang around are a bunch of fat pilots?"

"They're not a bunch of fat pilots!" Luke protested.

"Well, fat or not, they're not as attractive as any of the girls I've seen around here. Hey, I know!" Han snapped his fingers. "We need to have a party." Luke groaned. He wasn't completely certain what Han's idea of a party was, but he was fairly sure it wouldn't be up his alley.

"Where would you even find space for a party?" Luke asked him. "I highly doubt Rieekan would allow it anyways. Nor would Leia. And both of them would have your head if you did it without permission."

"_Relax_," Han said with exasperation. "I'm not planning a royal ball or anything. Just a few people getting together on the Falcon for a couple of drinks and maybe a few games. Rieekan can kiss my Wookie if he has a problem with me having some people on board my own ship." Han grinned and gave Luke a nudge. "And the Princess can kiss my-"

"Han!"

"Anyways, I'm talking about maybe six people. Three guys, three gals. One for each of us. You, me, Wedge and three of the prettiest single girls I can find," Han said, looking around the hallway as if he expected three woman who fit his description to be walking by. "I'd include Chewie if there were any female fur-balls around this joint, but I haven't seen any yet. Besides, he's married."

Luke looked at Han in surprise. "He is?"

Han grinned back at him and said, "Yeah, kid, he is. I think he's got a cub too. Grown though. He doesn't talk about them much. He says it makes him miss them more."

"How long has it been since he's seen them?" Luke asked with concern.

"Oh, I guess a couple of years now," Han said, then laughed. "You look like you're going to cry, kid. Chewie's a lot older than you might think. I don't really know exactly how old, but I think he's at least a hundred and fifty. He misses his family, but he gets to see them occasionally. I think the last time he spent some time there was a few months before we met you. Anyways, if he really wanted to go home more often he would. He likes being a pilot."

Luke didn't say anything in response. His forehead creased as he tried to picture Chewie with a wife and child. Finally, he shook his head and shrugged, then turned the conversation back to the topic of the party.

"What about Leia?" Luke asked.

"What about her?" Han scoffed. "Her Worship would only be a royal stick-in-the-mud. Though I guess she's pretty enough." Han punched him lightly on the arm. "Besides, everyone thinks you two are an item and no girl's gonna think she can compare to a Princess. And if I know you and Leia, you'll sulk off by yourselves into the cockpit or something and lock the door so you can talk about whatever it is you two talk about all the time."

"Han, she'll be insulted if we don't at least invite her," Luke complained.

"What's this 'we' business?" Han asked. "This is my party."

"Oh, I see," Luke replied dryly. "So am I still coming, then?"

"Of course, Luke! When you're not sulking off with her Highness, you're a fun guy."

"Will you at least invite Leia?" Luke begged him. "She'll probably say no anyways."

"Why do you care so much?"

"It'll hurt her feelings if she's not invited. You two fight all the time, but you can't deny you're still friends," Luke argued.

Han sighed. "All right. Fine. I'll invite the Princess, wet blanket or no. She better not ruin my party, Luke," he warned.

Luke rolled his eyes and started to walk away from Han. "We can talk about it later. It's getting late and I've got to get Rogue group out to the south entrance."

"I don't know how you let yourself get talked into digging a bunch of holes, but more power to ya, kid, for going back out there every day," Han said. Luke just waved in response. He probably hated digging the trenches more than anyone else, but he was determined to not be caught complaining. Especially after the conversation he'd had with Leia that morning.

He was almost out of hearing range when he heard Han call out, "Hey, kid!" He turned back to face Han, back-peddling down the hallway. "What about sabacc tonight?"

"I'll be there!" he shouted back down the hallway to Han, then turned to face the direction he was going and nearly bowled over Kasan Moor. "Ah, sorry," he said.

"It's all right, Boss. I was sent to find you," she replied as she turned to walk alongside Luke.

"What can I do for you?" he asked her.

"Well, we waited for a couple of minutes for you to show, then Wedge sent everyone outside to get started. He told me I should come find you and make sure you didn't oversleep," she told him. Luke stared at her in shock.

"What time is it?" he asked as he pawed at his right pocket to find his chronometer.

"A few minutes past oh-nine-hundred," she said before he could find what he was looking for.

"Stang! I had no idea it was that late!" Luke hoped no one, especially General Rieekan, noticed that he had overslept. He glanced at the woman by his side and said, "The Princess caught me this morning. She had a few things to talk about." He hoped that if anyone asked why he was late the finger would end up being pointed at Leia. She'd back him up without a second thought and no one would question her.

Kasan only lifted her head in a gesture of acknowledgment. Luke followed her through the winding hallways to the south entrance where the rest of their squadron was already starting the day's work. He had left his scarf in his room, but he didn't want to stop and get it, preferring to look like he'd gotten an early start and just gotten sidetracked.

It was cold inside the base, but the coldness outside was painful to Luke. As he approached the entrance the temperature steadily dropped, but even though the doors were wide open, stepping through the doorway was like walking into a wall of frozen air. It was usually sunny on Hoth and the sun reflecting off the white snow made it brighter even than on Tatooine during the heights of both suns. Standing behind a window, one might imagine the outdoors on Hoth to be pleasant. There was usually enough wind or snowfall during the night to keep the snow bright white despite the traffic near Echo Base that should have left it dirty. The tauntauns also left behind some nasty-smelling dung. They tried to keep the area around the base clear and clean, but apparently the strange creatures were still pretty dirty. Luke heard that Rieekan wanted to use the animals for scouting since they discovered that the land speeders froze up after only an hour or so out in the plains. He hoped the Rogues weren't going to be asked to ride those animals. It was bad enough trying to keep a positive face when they were digging a trench in the snow.

Luke and Kasan both fastened their coats and tightened the clasps holding their gloves snug against the sleeves. Luke hunched his shoulders and tried to protect his neck inside the coat better. He thought he'd be fine once he started working. Amazingly, he sometimes even got a little warm under the heavy clothing when he got to moving around enough.

Kasan jumped down into the trench next to Zev and Hobbie and picked up one of the shovels. When Wedge saw they arrived, he climbed out of the trench and walked over to Luke.

"Sleep in?" he asked quietly, an understanding grin on his face. "Hope I wasn't snoring too loud again."

Luke considered briefly if this was one of those situations where he was expected to be more "disciplined." He supposed the correct thing to tell Wedge was to mind his own business, but Luke couldn't make himself see the point of that. Wedge was his good friend and shared a room with him, so if he couldn't trust his Lieutenant to keep some things confidential, then how could Wedge even _be_ a Rebel?

"I was slowed down by Leia and then Han this morning," Luke said. Wedge just smiled and nodded in response. "Though I still would have been late if they'd left me alone," he admitted with a grin.

Wedge chuckled. "You didn't miss much. It's not that late and I don't think anyone noticed. It's not like we need supervision to dig a ditch. It looks like we're pretty much expected to know what we're doing."

"I don't even remember being told how big this thing was supposed to be."

"I get the impression this is mostly a way to give us something to do while we're grounded," Wedge grumbled.

Luke was bitter about the assignment as well, but Rieekan had explained to him that the trenches did have a purpose. "There _is_ a reason for them," he told Wedge. "Rieekan says that when the shield generator arrives it'll make an aerial attack unlikely, so we'd be looking at a ground assault. Supposedly there's a few artillery guns coming in too, so we'll have something to shoot." Luke paused to consider where they were. "If the guns don't freeze, that is," he added.

Wedge laughed. "If the mining droids freeze out here, I can't imagine the guns would do any better. They decided to turn us into mining droids. Who's to say they won't use us for the guns too?" he asked. Luke looked at him in confusion. "I mean, they could set up some big catapults and we could use Wes and Hobbie as ammunition," Wedge said loudly. "Imagine the damage they would cause."

The Rogues digging in the trench overheard the comment, as Wedge had intended, and followed up the joke with some additional ribbing. Hobbie just rolled his eyes and ignored it all, but Wes played along with the joking until he noted Luke and Wedge still standing on the lip of the trench.

"You know, I think maybe the Commander and the Lieutenant would make better ammunition, seeing as they apparently don't have much use," Wes cracked, then dropped his shovel and grabbed at his side. "Oh, Boss," he moaned. "I've got a cramp. I think I need to join you. This work is too hard for a young guy like me."

Luke tried to smother his grin, but he rarely could when the group of them got to joking around. Luke and Wedge laughed good-naturedly and dropped down into the trench next to Hobbie. As Luke picked up the last available shovel and turned around, he saw that Wes and Hobbie had moved farther down so that he could dig in the sun. It put the them in the shade, which on Hoth meant it felt tens of degrees colder, but they knew how sensitive Luke was to the cold. Luke smiled, surprised as he always was how at home he felt with these people. It was a sense of belonging he'd never experienced on Tatooine.

The only shadow over his day was the impending meeting with Rieekan. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he decided not to let it bother him. His day was actually promising to be otherwise pleasant. One principle of life in the Rebel Alliance Luke had taken to heart was to live in the moment, and that's what he intended to do.


	4. Chapter 4

As the sun neared the western ridges, Luke called his team to a halt and climbed out of the trench. He surveyed their progress and was impressed by the amount they had gotten done in the two days they had been digging. He frowned as he tried to recall whether he had been told how long the trenches were supposed to be. He glanced to the north, where Green Squadron was digging another trench parallel to the Rogues'.

He knew the commander of the Green Squadron only as a result of a brief introduction when the group arrived at the base a few weeks before. The man had seemed pleasant and approachable at the time. Luke pondered his options. There were only three other people who had been in the briefing room when Rieekan had given the orders to dig the trenches, and two of them were Rieekan himself and his aide. He could just send a message to Rieekan or the aide asking for clarification, but if the final expectations for the trenches had been part of the meeting, Luke would just be letting Rieekan know he hadn't been listening closely. He decided that talking to the other commander would be a better option.

He crossed the fifty meter distance to the other trench and stopped when he reached the ridge. One of the squad members noticed the shadow Luke cast across the opposite wall and craned his head to see who their visitor was.

"Boss," the young man said. "Enemy spies detected."

The whole line of pilots stopped working and straightened up to see who the newcomer was. Luke glanced at each of the men, but with the cold-weather gear they all wore, he was having trouble picking out the commander. The men laughed at the joke after they obviously recognized him. One of them climbed out of the trench and stepped next to Luke and held his hand out.

"Arvel Crynyd," the man introduced himself. "We met at the briefing but I don't know if you can recognize me under all this gear."

Luke took the offered hand and tried to remember Han's instructions on properly giving a handshake without looking like he was trying too hard. Handshaking was not a custom commonly practiced on Tatooine and after Han had seen Luke shake someone's hand after the Battle of Yavin, he'd made it his pet project to instruct Luke on "Proper Etiquette." Leia had scoffed when she had heard that piece of news and had tried to introduce him to what she termed "Actual Proper Etiquette," but after an hour with her, Luke had decided that Han's style seemed more fitting to his personality.

Arvel fortunately seemed oblivious to Luke's conscious effort and gave him a friendly smile. "We've been keeping an eye on Rogue Squadron's progress and didn't want to be the first ones to quit for the day. Seems your fellows have gotten further along than this worthless bunch," he said, gesturing with a thumb over his shoulder at the Green Squadron pilots. His remark earned him some good-natured catcalls, and Luke laughed along with Arvel and allowed himself to relax.

"I might have stooped to spying if it had occurred to me, but at this point, I think I'd have a mutiny on my hands if I hadn't let them stop. Certain parties were starting to get grouchy," Luke replied.

Arvel dismissed his pilots for the day and turned expectantly to Luke after they had cleared out. Luke cleared his throat. "I was wondering if I missed the part of the meeting where Rieekan told us how big these things were supposed to be."

Arvel laughed and slapped his thigh. "I'm so glad! I haven't a clue either, and I didn't want to have to ask you or Rieekan."

"Great. I should have a meeting with him this evening, so if you don't mind I'll tell him you _and_ me were wondering," Luke said.

"If you'll take care of the dirty work, I'll lend you my name."

Luke nodded and rested his hands on his hips as he debated continuing their conversation. It was cold and he did want to go inside with the others, but Han's comment about his narrow circle of friends rang a little to close to the truth. He also figured that if he was going to find out more about the Jedi, he needed to learn to talk to more people. He'd already exhausted the scant knowledge of everyone he currently talked to on a regular basis. He stood uncertainly a moment as he tried to think of something else to say. "I never heard whether you were stationed here permanently," he ventured.

"I was told probably not, but we have no other orders yet. I'm guessing we'll be here at least until the shield generator arrives and gets installed." Arvel grinned and added, "I have a feeling we might be helping to install it too."

Luke laughed in response. "Amazingly, I have that feeling too. We've had so many problems getting any of the machinery to tolerate the cold for any length of time."

"I'm not surprised there have been so many problems. It's so cold there's frozen mucus in my nose," Arvel griped and started walking to the open bay doors. He kept his body turned slightly towards Luke's, which Luke interpreted as an invitation to continue their conversation indoors.

"Did Rieekan give you any hints as to what else you might be doing once the trenches are finished?" Luke asked.

"Nope," Arvel replied. "You?"

"Not really. Though I know they've been working on training those tauntauns. Since we've been grounded and the air speeders don't work, there hasn't been much scouting or recon going on." Luke paused and glanced at the landscape behind them. "I think Rieekan will want to have scouts patrolling beyond those ridges once the shield generator comes in. I heard him say that it should be strong enough we'd be protected from aerial attacks."

Arvel whistled. "That's some serious money. I didn't even know they made planetary shield generators that strong. I bet that's one expensive piece of equipment."

"Really? I don't know much about shield generators," Luke admitted. "We had one back home, but it only covered a couple hundred meters or so. I don't know how expensive it was. It was always there as far as I can remember."

"Then you probably know more than I do about them," Arvel replied. "I don't really know how expensive they are beyond a general idea."

They reached the bay doors and Luke sighed in relief as he felt the wave of warmer air from inside the climate-controlled base. Arvel reached up to loosen his scarf and grinned at Luke. "You know it's cold when below freezing temperatures feels warm."

Luke followed Arvel to the mess hall, where both of their squadrons were assembling. It was slightly earlier than the time when the majority of the base staff took evening meal breaks, so the room was mostly empty. They walked over to the line forming in front of the serving droids and stopped behind one of Arvel's pilots. As Luke followed Arvel through the line, he turned to survey the seating area behind them. He watched as the members of both squadrons chose tables near each other, but the pilots did not mingle other than a few brief words.

When they reached the end of the line, Arvel paused to survey the room while Luke grabbed the last of his rations. He gestured to one of the empty tables near both squadrons. "Want to sit there?" he asked. Luke nodded and followed Arvel across the room. As he neared the table the Rogues were sharing, he saw Wedge shift down on his bench and motion for Luke to join them. Luke gave him a nod in reply and then tilted his head in Arvel's direction. Wedge raised his eyebrows and sniffed as if he was affronted, but the grin he gave Luke a second later showed he wasn't truly offended.

"I try to sit away from my squadron whenever I have someone else to sit with. Just to give them some time away from their commander so they can relax some," Arvel explained. "I hope you don't mind."

"No it's okay. I usually eat with my squadron, but I guess I can see your point," Luke replied.

A few minutes of slightly uncomfortable silence followed as they both started eating. Luke kept trying to think of something to say to continue their casual conversation from before. If Leia had been there, she would have been able to keep a conversation going, but Luke had never been able to figure out what he was supposed to say without sounding contrived. Fortunately Arvel relieved Luke of his dilemma in the next moment when he asked about Luke's pilots.

"I can guess a few of their names. Rogue Squadron's pretty famous, but I've never met any of them before. I assume the dark-haired one who made room for you is Wedge Antilles?" he asked.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, that's Wedge. He's a good guy – he watches my back."

"The defining quality of any good lieutenant," Arvel said dryly. "I heard during the clone wars they usually operated with just a commander. I'm glad Dodanna decided every squadron should have a lieutenant as well. You need someone who can give orders when you're distracted or away."

Luke nodded and pretended to agree with Arvel, but the truth was that he knew little about running a squadron during the Clone Wars or the Rebellion. Wedge had proven to be Luke's lifeline in his earlier days when it came to military protocol. He had spent considerably more time in the Alliance than Luke and had saved Luke embarrassment on more than one occasion. Han had proven to be a good source of information as well, but his military knowledge came from his short time as an Imperial cadet and it was not something he liked to talk about often. Luke regarded his other pilots and felt a wave of gratification for the people he had to work with on a daily basis. On Tatooine he had often been the subject of ridicule and joking. While the the members of Rogue Squadron included him in their teasing, he was never singled out, and someone always rushed to his defense if any tried to criticize him.

"The guy beside him is Hobbie Klivian. Then Zev Senesca, Kasan Moor, Tarrin Datch, Dash Rendar, Wes Janson, Keir Santage, and Samoc Farr," Luke informed him. "Best group of pilots I could ever imagine working with," he added with pride.

"I know of Janson by reputation," Arvel said with a grin. "I hear it's best to go unnoticed by him."

Luke laughed. "He's not that bad. He really only plays jokes on other squad members or people he knows really well."

"I'll keep that in mind and stay away," Arvel drawled.

Arvel in turn named each of his pilots, but Luke had never heard of any of them by name. Before Luke had to think of additional conversation topics, he was saved by Wedge.

"Hey Boss," Wedge said as he stopped at the end of the table. He then turned to Arvel and saluted. "Lieutenant Wedge Antilles," he introduced himself.

Arvel nodded in response. "Commander Arvel Crynyd. Have a seat," he said as he motioned to the empty bench next to Luke. "I've heard some stories about you, Antilles."

Wedge laughed and asked, "Is that a good thing?"

"Sure is. You and Commander Skywalker are pretty famous," Arvel replied. Luke blushed. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to being popular. According to Leia, he was even well-known to the Imperials, which he had to admit bothered him sometimes. It wasn't unheard of for pilots to be captured, and Leia had told him enough about her imprisonment on board the Death Star that Luke knew he didn't want to ever go through interrogation.

"Well, the Boss here is more famous than anybody, but it's good to know he doesn't outshine us all," Wedge said with a chuckle. "It can be hard to keep up with him sometimes."

Luke wasn't sure what Wedge meant by his last comment, but he didn't get a chance to ask him. A staffer he didn't recognize stepped up to their table and gave Luke the news he had been expecting the entire day.

"Commander Skywalker, General Rieekan wants to meet with you this evening. He asked me to tell you he'll be expecting you after you've eaten," the young man said. Luke thanked him and looked forlornly at his empty plate.

"Looks like I'm meeting with Rieekan now," he said and nodded goodbye to Wedge and Arvel.

He returned his utensils to the serving droids and headed towards the command center. As he made his way through the dark hallways, he nodded and waved to the passing troops he recognized. It was now normal dining hours, so he was walking against the flow. He finally weaved past the traffic and stopped in front of the command center doors. As he stood there, he realized belatedly that he had forgotten his security badge that would grant him access to the room beyond. As he debated whether to go back and get his badge or wait for someone else to enter or exit the room, the door swung open and he saw Leia jump in surprise to see him standing there.

"You gave me a fright," she told him.

"Sorry. I left my badge in my room," Luke explained. Leia simply nodded and distractedly waved him into the room.

"Go on in. Rieekan's waiting for you," she said and slipped past him into the hallway. She scurried away and disappeared around the corner before Luke could call out a goodbye. He struggled to stifle his disappointment.

He ducked under a display screen to his left and paused to survey the room. It wasn't a large room, but there was a lot of equipment and personnel which made the room cramped and difficult to navigate. He spotted Rieekan on the far side of the room speaking with one of the operators. It took Luke a few moments to work his way to Rieekan, and he was annoyed to see the man walk away before he was able to reach him.

He stalked the general for a few moments before finally catching him back by the entrance just as Rieekan was opening the door to leave. "Commander, I'm glad you found me. I was going to try to fit in some food before our meeting, but it can wait. This won't take long," he said before he stepped into the hallway. Luke followed him to a nearby briefing room that was dark and deserted. Rieekan turned on a handful of the lights and gestured for Luke to sit in one of the chairs. The commander of Echo Base leaned against a console across the aisle from Luke and crossed his arms.

"Before I start, I want to make it clear that I have been impressed with your work so far. You have quite the reputation and I was pleased to see that you live up to it. There is one area of concern I have though, and it has more to do with the rest of your squadron. I am concerned that discipline seems to be lacking in your squadron. I know everyone has been going stir-crazy for the past few days, but it's important we keep our focus. You've been an Alliance pilot long enough to know that this down-time can change in a second," he said and then paused. Luke simply nodded in response, not sure whether he was expected to reply.

"I'm a little concerned, not because you have necessarily given me reason to be concerned, but because I know you're still young and I'm told most of your squadron is older than you are. It can be tough to give orders to people you would normally be taking orders from. And it can be tough for them to take orders from you. I've heard about a series of practical jokes made by one of your pilots and it does concern me. I don't have a problem with joking as a general rule, but I want to make sure that boundaries are enforced." Rieekan held up a data pad that Luke hadn't noticed until then and started to scan the contents.

"I have a maintenance request here for Zev Senesca's X-Wing. Apparently water was sprayed on the cockpit seat which has frozen and damaged the electronics under the seat. Were you aware of this?" Rieekan asked.

Luke was surprised. He was normally informed of Wes's pranks by one of the other Rogues, but he hadn't heard anything about this. In addition, he was surprised that Wes would do such a thing. It was definitely over the line.

"I see you understand my concern. I haven't questioned anyone, so I don't know if Wes Janson is truly responsible for this, but the rumor mill is pointing in his direction. I want you to find out who is responsible. If it's one of your pilots, I expect you to make it clear this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. If the culprit doesn't appear to be one of your pilots, I want you to report any information you find directly to me. I expect a report from you either way by the end of tomorrow," Rieekan said and pushed away from the console behind him. Luke jumped to his feet and saluted.

"Yes, sir," he said. "I will have something for you tomorrow."

Rieekan smiled and patted Luke on the shoulder. "Good. I'm sure this will be taken care of. Thanks for coming down here, Commander." He turned to leave the room and had almost reached the door before Luke remembered he was supposed to ask the general about the trenches.

"General?" he called out and started after Rieekan. The older man paused and waited for Luke to reach him. "Commander Crynyd and I don't recall from the briefing how long the trenches need to be. Mine is about forty meters and Green Squadron's is probably a few less than that."

"Your boys made quick work of that," Rieekan commented. "I didn't expect you to get so much done so quickly. I thought the ice would prove to be more of a problem."

"Maintenance brought us some wedges and mallets this morning that have proven to be a big help. We got a lot done today," Luke replied.

"Truth be told, Commander, I expected that project to take a lot longer. Put in a full day's work tomorrow and they should be plenty long enough. I'll give you your next assignment when we meet tomorrow evening."

"Yes, sir," Luke said. "Thank you. I will see you tomorrow."

"Have a good evening, Commander," Rieekan said as he stepped out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Leia normally ate her dinner very late in the evening, but for the first time she was in the mess room during peak hours. General Rieekan wanted one of them in the control center during times when the base operated on a thinner crew, so she normally waited until well after he had eaten to take her own meal. Her knee had been bothering her all day since that morning when she had tripped on the ladder outside Luke's X-Wing and she had finally gotten fed up with the throbbing. Rieekan had simply told her to take the rest of the evening for herself. Leia didn't like leaving him with all the responsibility, but she had to admit that she was so irritable she was beginning to affect everyone else.

She had never seen the dining room when it was full. After picking up her meal, she paused to scan the large crowd, trying to find an acquaintance or colleague she knew well enough to join. A loud growl from behind Leia made her jump for the second time that evening and almost drop her food. She swung around as the growl turned into laughter.

"Chewie, is it really necessary to make me jump out of my skin whenever you get the chance?" she snapped.

Chewbacca took no notice of her sharp tone and continued laughing in his odd, barking way. He waved his arm in an obvious gesture for Leia to follow. She started after him before realizing he was probably leading her to a table he was sharing with Han Solo. She hustled to match his pace.

"Chewie, I don't know if I feel like putting up with Captain Solo right now. I'm not in a very good mood as it is," she said.

Chewie nodded and replied something that Leia could not interpret. Leia changed her mind and rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Just show me where you're sitting," she said. Leia never had more than a general idea what Chewbacca was saying unless Han interpreted for her, but she liked Chewie and Han was a necessary evil if she was going to be able to hold more than a one-sided conversation with him.

Han was sitting alone at one of the tables near the far wall. He had his back to them and was hunched over his food. Leia realized with surprise she had never seen him eat anything other than ration bars or snacks. She wondered if his table manners were as bad as his other manners. As they approached, Chewie growled a soft greeting and Han turned around to face them.

"Hey fur-ball. What took you so long?" he asked. Leia caught the surprise in his eyes when his gaze slid over to her. "Well, hello Princess. I didn't know you ate with the common folk."

"Where else would I eat?"

"I don't know. I figured the bigwigs had a private dining room or something. I've never seen you in here before."

"General Rieekan wants one of us to remain in the control room while most of the base is in here. I usually eat late."

"That's ungentlemanly. If I were Rieekan I'd offer to take the first shift."

"Rieekan is a perfect gentleman. I normally offer to stay late," Leia replied. "I think he would find it as ironic as I do that you seem to think you're more of a gentleman."

"I never said I was a gentleman, Your Highness," Han leered. "If I were Rieekan, I might be one though."

Leia rolled her eyes. "At least you aren't deluding yourself," she said.

Han sat up straight and tugged down on his vest. "I can be a gentleman," he insisted. "I just choose not to. I see no reason to hold to antiquated formalities when there's a job to be done."

"I find that hard to believe," Leia said sarcastically. "I've never heard a polite word come out of your mouth."

"I've never heard a polite word come out of your mouth either, Princess," Han shot back.

Leia turned away, uncomfortable with the truthfulness of Han's accusation. She had a sharp tongue and a quick temper, but Han was the only one who was able to make her lose control every time she came into contact with him. He was condescending and rude, but when she encountered behavior like his in others, she normally responded with civility. He father had taught her that respectful conversation was more powerful than insults and aggression. It was a philosophy that Leia still adhered to, though she didn't have the natural goodwill and patience that Bail Organa had.

Han Solo had a way of derailing her entire upbringing and turning her into a shrew. His crooked grin and determined insolence made her uncomfortable in a way she didn't completely understand. She had faced men far more horrible than Han Solo and had managed to not loose her temper. Han could make her blood boil after just a few seconds in his company.

"You encourage bad behavior in anyone," she mumbled, now wanting to turn the conversation in another direction.

Fortunately Han seemed bored with the current topic of conversation and he asked her about Luke's whereabouts instead. "We usually meet Luke in the evenings to eat but he's not here. Do you know what's he's up to?"

Leia didn't want to say Luke was meeting with Rieekan since she wasn't sure how Luke would feel about that. "I guess he's busy," she offered.

"Uh huh," Han replied. He obviously felt she knew where he was, but he didn't seem to want to press the issue. "Well it's a good thing you're here anyways. Luke told me I have to invite you to our party."

Leia glanced sharply at him. "What party?" she asked suspiciously. If Han stepped out of line and it was known that Luke was involved, that wouldn't improve Rieekan's estimation of him. Across the table, Chewie was laughing, obviously anticipating the approaching conversation.

Han grinned. "Now, princess, don't drop your tiara. I was just thinking about having a small get-together on the _Falcon_."

Leia narrowed her eyes. "How big?"

"Not _big_, darling. _Small_," Han replied, rolling his eyes and throwing an exasperated glance at Chewie.

Leia clenched her jaw and struggled to keep in her rude reply. She knew from experience with Han that he highly enjoyed seeing her livid and it had only gotten worse the last few weeks on Hoth. "How small?" Leia asked patiently.

Han almost seemed disappointed. "Just six or eight people. Tight fit getting that many on the _Falcon_ in the first place," he told her.

"Six or eight?" Leia asked sardonically. "But not seven?"

"Well now, Princess, I don't know how they party among the upper class, but I'm more of a traditional guy. I prefer one lady at a time, and I think most of the guys I was planning on inviting feel the same way."

Leia's brow wrinkled in confusion. She wasn't at all certain what he was talking about, but she knew he was doing his damnedest to be as obtuse as possible in hopes of annoying her. She sighed. "What are you talking about?"

"A date, Princess," he said as he leaned suggestively towards her. "If you come to my party you have to bring a date." Han paused dramatically. "Now I haven't committed yet, so if you're worried about finding a date, as a friend I couldn't leave you hanging. What do you say?"

For a split second, Leia thought he was seriously asking her to be his date to this party and her heart beat hard and fast until she realized that his invitation also included a customary insult and her momentary nervousness gave way to annoyance. She stood up, balancing her tray in her right hand, with her left hand resting on her hip in what she hoped was a nonchalant pose. "Captain, I assure you I will not have the least trouble finding a date, and even if I did, I would consider remaining alone in my room a far more entertaining evening than being your date _anywhere_," she said as she walked away.

She expected to hear him shout another insult after her as she walked away since he usually seemed determined to have the last word, but thankfully she didn't hear anything as she left the room. It was now well into the evening, and she wondered if she'd be able to find Luke before retiring to her room. She made her way back down the same hallways she had walked just that morning and found herself again hesitating just outside of Luke's door again.

Leia shook her head, exasperated with herself. She wasn't sure why it made her so uncomfortable that everyone assumed she and Luke were an item and it was something that normally shouldn't have bothered her. Luke was well-liked and admired by everyone who knew him, and she knew no one would consider them a mismatched couple. Leia pinched her arm, annoyed at her own insecurity over something that really shouldn't bother her so much and reached for the door buzzer. She stood outside the door for a few moments but there was no answer.

Most evenings she worked very late and on the nights she did not, Leia normally retreated to her room. Solitude was often welcomed on a base as enclosed as Echo Base, but her conversation with Han had gotten her riled up. She pounded her fist on the door in general frustration.

"Whoa there. You okay?" Luke said from behind her. Leia whirled around to face him, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I've just shared an pleasant meal with Captain Solo and I'm feeling punchy," she said with an exaggeratedly tight smile.

Luke nodded and smiled in understanding and said, "I don't suppose you two will ever be able to be in the same room without going for the throat." He reached past her and entered the key to open the door.

"I may be rude and short sometimes with him, but you can't argue that he doesn't intentionally set out to annoy me," Leia said defensively.

"I guess so," Luke replied. Leia understood his answer was intentionally vague, but she knew he considered Han his best friend and Luke wasn't the type of person to speak ill of even his enemies. He stepped past her into the room and flipped on the lights. Leia studied his quarters with interest. She had never really seen how he lived on such a close level before, and she was surprised by how clean and uncluttered the room was, especially given that he shared it with someone.

Leia hovered in the doorway, unsure if she was invited in. Luke was often refreshingly candid, but since he lacked the more formal manners Leia was raised with she sometimes wondered if he was trying to subtly dismiss her or if he simply assumed she didn't need an invitation. Luke pulled a bag off of his shoulder and tossed it onto the top bunk then jumped up beside it. After he settled on the bunk, he noticed her still standing in the doorway.

"Do you have to go?" he asked.

Leia grinned. "No," she said.

Luke looked puzzled. "Well did you want to talk?"

"Yes," she replied. "I'd come in but I wasn't invited."

Luke blushed and looked at her through his eyelashes. "Sorry," he said. "I told you all that etiquette stuff was going to go out the other ear."

Leia sighed and stepped into the room. The door slid shut behind her, making the space feel more intimate than she had been anticipating. "Oh, I'm just in an odd mood," she explained. "I don't really know what it is. And having to endure Han's company just made it worse."

"What did he say?" Luke asked.

Leia shook her head and rolled her eyes. "He invited me to this party you two are planning."

Luke chuckled. "So _now_ it's my party too," he mumbled.

"What?" Leia asked, confused by his meaning.

"Nothing. Just something about our conversation about it this morning," he said, then squirmed on the bunk. "Are you going to go?" he asked.

"I don't know," Leia replied. "I might go if you're going and you want me to. I want to go because Han will try to insult me if I don't go, and I don't want to go because I _know_ he'll insult me if I do."

"I'll talk to him," Luke said quickly. "I want you to go. I don't think I'll feel comfortable without you there. I don't really know what he's planning on but I suspect I'm not going to like it and he's not going to let me get away with not going."

Leia was slightly alarmed. "Why do you think you won't like it?"

"I think he wants to set me up with someone, or else he expects me to bring a date. I'm just afraid I'll feel uncomfortable or whoever he sets me up with will be uncomfortable. Anyways, I was hoping you'd go with me so if we didn't like it, we could just leave and we wouldn't have to feel bad," Luke said.

"Luke, you shouldn't go if you don't feel right about it. You can't let Han pressure you into something you don't want to do," Leia said indignantly. It annoyed her how much Luke looked up to Han because she didn't think Han was a good role model for him. It was Leia's wholehearted opinion that Luke had far more integrity in his littlest toe than Han had in his whole body.

"It's not that. It's just that sometimes I feel like an uneducated farmer from a third-rate, outer rim planet – wait," he exclaimed, "that's what I am!"

Leia shook her head and opened her mouth to reply but Luke cut her off. "It's just that sometimes I feel like a fish out of water when I'm around a bunch of people. You became a senator while I was still working on the farm and just getting ready to put in my application for the Academy and Han's...well," Luke smiled. "I guess you could say Han's a little more cultured than I am."

Leia snorted in an unladylike fashion that would have caused her aunts much horror. "I would not call Han Solo _cultured_," she said.

Luke smiled and replied, "Well, maybe not in the strictest sense of the word, but I've recently found out my vocabulary needs some work."

Leia threw back her head and laughed at the memory of the morning's conversation. "I suppose it might," she replied.

"So will you go with me?" Luke asked with an obviously hopeful look on his face. Leia's heart melted.

"Of course I will. I would be honored," she replied.


	6. Chapter 6

"How did your meeting with Rieekan go?" Leia asked him.

Luke sighed. "I'm not really sure. He said he was impressed by my work so far, but he thinks that Wes might have pulled a prank that went over the line. He told me I need to find out who did it and report back to him."

Leia made a face that Luke couldn't quite interpret, but she didn't comment, so he continued. "I'm hoping it wasn't Wes. I actually don't think it is, but he's certainly the most likely suspect," he conceded.

"Why do you think it wasn't Wes Janson?" Leia asked.

"Rieekan said someone put water in the seat in Zev's X-Wing and it's frozen. It's damaged the wiring and it'll probably be out of commission for a while while we try to figure out where to get the parts. I just don't think it's something he'd do. Wes is a fighter pilot – he wouldn't destroy one of his squadron mate's fighter like that. Besides, the Rogues always tell me about his latest pranks and no one has said anything," Luke explained.

Leia seemed dubious. "If Janson knew he had crossed the line, would he own up to it? It might cost him his rank and placement with Rogue Squadron," Leia suggested.

Luke shook his head. "Wes wouldn't do that. The Rogues come first and if he was responsible, he'd come tell me then go to Rieekan himself," he replied, becoming more convinced as he spoke that Wes was not the culprit. "Anyways, it's getting late and I need to go tell Han I can't come tonight before I go speak with him. I should get going." He jumped down from his bunk and landed in front of Leia.

Leia nodded and hugged him. As they were parting, the door opened and Wedge stepped into the room. He seemed surprised and then blushed and stepped back out. The door closed and the small quarters were left in silence. Luke was confused for a moment until he realized how close he and Leia were standing. Leia cleared her throat and mumbled a good bye, then rushed out the door before Luke could say anything. She brushed past Wedge, who was standing outside the doorway with his back to the room. When he saw her pass, he nonchalantly turned and sidestepped into the room.

"So, nothing's going on with Princess Leia?" he teased.

Luke groaned and reached for his scarf, hoping to leave the room and escape Wedge's curiosity. When he stepped to the door, Wedge moved to block him. "No way, Boss," he said. "I've been a good boy and minded my own business but enough is enough. Do I need to find somewhere else to stay?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Come on Wedge. She's gone to bed for the night, and I'm telling you nothing is going on. We're good friends, she had a bad day, and we were just hugging. I'd hug you too but apparently you consider that foreplay and that makes me kind of nervous," Luke replied. He was rather proud of his response, since if he was going to be honest he would have to admit he really wasn't sure what was going on between him and Leia. They obviously liked each other, and he had certainly had a crush of some sorts since the very first moment he ever set eyes on her holograph, but he had always imagined a romantic relationship would be a little different somehow than the relationship he had with Leia.

Wedge chuckled and replied, "Well, all I know is that's the second time today she's been here."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, confused.

"She came here this morning looking for you. I told her you'd probably be in your X-Wing," he said.

"I was," Luke replied. "That feels like yesterday. It's been a long day, and she actually was looking for me to warn me about a meeting with Rieekan this evening." Luke filled Wedge in on the evening's events, and was relieved that Wedge agreed the prank seemed out of character.

"I think I should go with you to talk to Janson," Wedge said. "If he did do it, he certainly won't lie to the both of us."

Luke frowned. "Do you think he'd lie to me alone?"

"No of course not," Wedge said hastily. "I just think that with both of us there he'll understand how serious this is. Zev didn't say anything about it all day, so I don't think he knows yet. If Zev hasn't found out, Wes might feel inclined to keep quiet about it until he does."

"Well, then maybe you should come with me. I've got to go tell Han that I won't be able to come by tonight though. He was trying to get together some people for a game and I told him I'd be there," Luke said.

"I'll come with you if you'd like. Maybe having both of us questioning him will loosen Janson's tongue," Wedge replied and stepped aside to allow Luke through the doorway.

Han was easy to find, since he and Chewbacca had returned to the _Falcon_ directly after eating. Han was lounging next to the Dejarik board barking unnecessary orders to Chewie, who was crouched on the floor tightening the bolts on one of the loose seats.

"About time you got that chair fixed," Luke commented. "I swear that thing was ready to go flying into the cargo hold the next time you took off."

Han gave Luke an annoyed look. "Like that's happening anytime soon, with Rieekan running this operation. I'm starting to think I'm going to die of boredom in this horrible place."

"Well, it's going to be getting even more boring. I can't make it to the game tonight. I've got some things to take care of, and I'm not sure how long it's going to take," Luke said.

"Well, some people like to say that duty comes first. Me, I'm more of a live for the moment kind of guy. But...if you're not going to make it tonight, can you at least loan me your wingman here so I can have an even table?" Han asked sarcastically.

"Sorry Captain," Wedge said. "This wingman's on duty tonight too. I'll have to catch up with you another time."

"Can't rely on anyone," Han mumbled as Luke and Wedge waved their goodbyes.

The walk back to the barracks wing was shorter than Luke would have liked. He hadn't worked out yet what he was going to say to Wes Janson. He was almost certain Wes had not been the one responsible for the prank, but he needed to be sure. He just hoped he could get an answer without Wes walking away from the meeting feeling unjustly accused by his own commander.

Wedge opened the door and stepped aside to allow Luke to enter the barracks room first. Luke stopped short when he cleared the doorway. The pilots barracks had gotten a lot more crowded since Luke had last seen it, before Green Squadron was also grounded on Hoth. Luke sighed as he surveyed the room. A row of bunks and a divider wall separated two halves of the cramped room, and he could immediately tell that the Green Squadron had the left side, while the Rogues had claimed the right. A few pilots Luke recognized from Green Squadron were standing to his left, engaged in quiet conversation. He could see another pilot lying on a lower bunk reading a datacard. The area around them was neat and tidy, which was a marked difference from the side of the room to his right.

It was standard operating procedure for pilots to keep their belongings packed at all times, so that the entire Squadron could be ready for an extended mission on a moment's notice. The long period of flight restrictions had apparently convinced the Rogues that they could be more carefree about their living space. Luke could see several bags on the floor, their contents spilling haphazardly onto the walkway between the bunks. There were several overturned containers spread through the piles of clothing that contained a few more personal items.

Hobbie, Zev, and Dash were seated around a one of the overturned crates, deeply engrossed in a game of Sabacc. Kasan lounged on a bunk behind them, watching the game, but clearly not interested in the proceedings. She brightened a little when she saw Luke and Wedge and crawled out from the bunk to salute. The other pilots did not look up from their game.

Luke gave Wedge a meaningful glance, and his normally laid-back lieutenant stormed towards the Sabacc game with a dark scowl on his face. There was a mad scramble as Luke's presence and his displeased expression was noticed by each of the room's inhabitants. When the Rogues finally formed a line along the far bunks, Luke stepped towards them.

"I realize we have been grounded for quite some time and while I encourage you to take this time to relax, high command would be highly displeased with the state of this room. What am I supposed to say if someone breaks a leg trying to get out of here in a hurry? I expect all of this to be cleaned up by the time we get back. Jansen, come with me please," Luke said. He worried for a moment his speech was overdone when no one moved at first, but then Wes stepped forward with a confused look on his face.

"It wasn't just me, Boss," he said quietly, and clearly a little worried. Wedge stepped up behind him and prompted him forward when Luke turned to leave. He led them into the hanger bay and walked towards the line of frozen T-47 snowspeeders, well out of the way of any casual passersby.

He propped himself against the silent machine, and jumped as he felt the cold metal even through his suit. He gave the speeder an annoyed glance and turned to face Wes. Wedge stepped up beside him.

"I'm not interested in wasting your time or mine, so I'll get right to the point. I've been told someone sprayed water in the cockpit of Zev'z X-Wing. It's frozen and destroyed some electronics. Some people have assumed that you're the culprit. I've assured them you would not do this, and if you had you would have reported yourself to me or Lieutenant Antilles," Luke said sternly and unconsciously leaned forward for Wes' response.

Wes was quick to agree. "No sir!" he said adamantly. "Even if I had done it, like you say, I would have turned myself in."

Luke could feel Wedge relax beside him, and his lieutenant took a casual step towards the other pilot, which served to give his question a more conversational tone. "Do you know anything about the incident?" Wedge asked.

Wes turned his attention to Wedge and Luke could see the confusion in his face. "No sir. I didn't even know about it until you told me just now, and Zev hasn't said anything about it," he said.

"Do you know anyone who has motive to do this?" Luke asked.

Wes raised his eyebrows. "You mean a malicious motive? You don't think it was a prank?"

"I'm just trying to consider all possibilities here," Luke assured him. "I don't know of anyone who would try to pull a stunt like this as a prank."

"Me either," Wes replied. He glanced from Luke to Wedge and back again. "Sorry, Boss," he said. "I was telling the truth when I said I know nothing about it. I don't even have any guesses. Can't imagine anyone has a problem with Zev."

"Thanks, Wes. You can go on back now, and send Zev out here to talk to us. I need to get to the bottom of this," Luke said.

Wes gave him a sharp salute and walked briskly off. Wedge grinned. "You sure put some spring in his step. I think they were all shocked to hear you take such a hard line on them," he teased Luke.

Luke blushed. "I was just furious seeing what their side of that barracks looked like. Commander Crynyd's pilots keep their area spotless. It makes the Rogues look bad, and it makes you and me look bad."

"Oh I agree with you, Boss," Wedge hurriedly replied. "I wasn't criticizing. I think it's good for you to keep them on their toes. You're a laid-back Commander, and that's why they're all so loyal to you, but you also can't let them take advantage of you."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Zev Senesca. After grilling him for twenty minutes, Luke was still no closer to solving the mystery. They interviewed each Rogue member individually until at last Dash Rendar stepped into the hangar bay.

"I heard all about it from the others," Dash said as he walked up. "I got nothing to tell you except I did notice a fellow who doesn't seem to care much for Zev. It's just this one little thing, and I would have gone on thinking nothing of it weren't for how things have gone down around here."

Luke gestured to the hangar transport Wedge had pulled over for them to sit on while they conducted their investigations, and Dash flopped into the drivers seat. He draped his left arm over the controls and turned to face Luke beside him. Wedge was propped behind Luke, sitting on a container.

"Thing is, I can't figure out why this guy would do this. I mean, it's not exactly a great prank to pull on a grounded pilot," Dash continued.

Luke held up his hand. "I'll worry about the why. You just tell me what you know."

Dash was clearly annoyed by Luke's comment. "Fine, however you want to handle it, _Boss_," he said. Wedge shifted on the container behind him and cleared his throat. Dash rolled his eyes and dropped the issue.

"A few days after the Greenies moved in, Kasan was having little trouble with one of the pilots. Not real trouble," Dash hastily added when he saw Luke and Wedge both sit up sharply after hearing that piece of information. "He was just being annoying that's all. And she couldn't get him to leave her alone. Hell, he was bugging everyone else too, even his own Squadron. We'd all pretty much told him to shove off by that point, but he still wasn't getting it. Zev was the one who finally got fed up enough to stand up and give this guy a real warning. Mind you, all he did was push the guy a little. The Greenies all jumped up like we were gearing up for a brawl, but they pretty much relaxed when they saw it was just Zev. Except for this one pilot.

"I'd not taken much notice of him before that day. He pretty much kept to the Greenies just like most of us keep to ourselves too, but I never liked the look of this guy. And that day, I decided I really didn't like the look of him, when he stalked on over to Zev and gave him a shove in return. Now, you know Zev, he didn't have much in the way of a reaction, just asked the pilot to help his annoying friend to bed so we could all get some rest. I thought for a second I might actually have to get out of my bunk and take this guy down. He was clearly ready to get into it with Zev, but he backed down when he saw me and Tarrin ready to jump on him. That was pretty much the end of it. The Greenies went back on their side, and we went on to sleep," Dash concluded.

"Why didn't anyone else mention this other pilot – what's his name?" Wedge asked.

"Pretty sure his name is Hund. We did formal introductions and all when they moved in, but I don't remember every one," Dash replied. "And as for why no one else mentioned it, well I didn't talk about it while I was in the barracks. Didn't want to with the Greenies sitting on the other side of the wall, but I wouldn't be surprised no one thought of it. Zev clearly thought they were all just drunk. Tarrin and me were the only ones who had a really good view of what happened, and Tarrin's not as suspicious as I am. It wasn't a big incident, but I am certain that guy had some kind of grudge against Zev that he doesn't have against the rest of us. I don't know if it's enough to ruin his fighter, but it's clear he doesn't think much of Zev."

Luke rubbed his brow as Wedge thanked and dismissed Dash and then swung around to sit beside Luke. "Interesting story," he murmured. "Rendar's not been around that long, but he seems an honest sort. And I will admit he's more perceptive than most."

Luke lowered his hand and gazed through the front view port. "I have a feeling what Dash told us is an important piece of information. I just don't like where this is going," he replied.

Wedge nodded and chewed his lip. "Yeah. I can't imagine you'll get very far going to Commander Crynyd with a small incident like that."

"Maybe, maybe not," Luke replied. "He seems pretty friendly. I might be able to turn it around so I'm investigating possible bad behavior on Zev's part."

"That's stretching it a little," Wedge said. "It'd be more believable if you sent your lieutenant to talk to this Hund than if the commander of Rogue Squadron himself shows up to investigate a pushing incident in the barracks that didn't go any farther than that."

Luke chuckled. "You're probably right. See if you can talk to this Hund fellow, and find out the name of the drunk one Dash talked about. Talk to him too."

"Will do, Boss," Wedge said as he stood and stretched. "This is starting to get a whole lot more interesting," he said. Luke couldn't help but agree.


End file.
